Family
Anna's mother, Anna of Saxony never had a happy marriage with Anna's father, William the Silent. Anna of Saxony was described as unstable and violent. She was unpopular with her family and the citizens.
Anna of Saxony took up with her lawyer, with whom she had an illegitimate daughter called Christina. After this incident, Anna and her siblings never saw their mother again. Anna of Saxony was sent to Beilstein castle with Christina, here her behavior became worse, until the servants were ordered to keep all knives away from her, lest she attack someone. Anna of Saxony began to suffer from hallucinations and violent outbursts. Christina was removed from her care and sent to be raised with her Anna and her siblings. William annulled their marriage, and remarried twice. Anna lived out the rest of her days in Dresden, until her death aged thirty-two in 1577.
Her father then married Charlotte of Bourbon, with whom he had six daughters. After her death in 1582, William married Louise de Coligny who gave birth to a son, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange.
Among Anna's siblings were Maurice, Prince of Orange and Emilia of Nassau.
Read more about this topic: Countess Anna Of Nassau, Biography
Famous quotes containing the word family:
“Nor does the family even move about together,
But every son would have his motor cycle,
And daughters ride away on casual pillions.”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)
“It is as when a migrating army of mice girdles a forest of pines. The chopper fells trees from the same motive that the mouse gnaws them,—to get his living. You tell me that he has a more interesting family than the mouse. That is as it happens.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“When a family is free of abuse and oppression, it can be the place where we share our deepest secrets and stand the most exposed, a place where we learn to feel distinct without being “better,” and sacrifice for others without losing ourselves.”
—Letty Cottin Pogrebin (20th century)